By Joshua Tyler | Published
The horrors of the Second World War and the unleashing of atomic energy had the side effect of the opening of a new world of creativity and speculation. The result was the birth of modern science fiction, while filmmakers explored the new ideas, fears and the scientific possibilities which were suddenly pushed to them. Living in the 1950s meant living in a world where everything felt possible, and no one knew what was going to happen next.
Although you can assume that the limited special effects of the time would make its films dated and not relevant, nothing could be further from the truth. The best of them took advantage of what they had, and the stories that these science fiction films from the 1950s have told the foundation of a large part of what you take now for granted when you press On a new streaming show.
So take your shelf gun and get into your flying saucer. These are the nine science fiction films of the 1950s that are still worth watching. We know that, unlike sites belonging to companies creating lists like this, we have really looked at the nine of them!
The War of the Worlds (1953)
The world has seen many adaptations of the classic alien invasion novel of Hg Wells, before and after the release in 1953 of the version of director George Pal, but none did it better. Especially not this Steven Spielberg version. Sorry, Dakota Fanning.
The film takes the book and contemplates it, dissected The War of the Worlds In the 1950s. He also changed extraterrestrial ships from the tripod walkers to floating and elegant ships with fracturing cobra heads.
The film was originally planned to use tripods, but it finally chose something more feasible for the limited practical effects of the time. The change gives this version of the story a unique look, and the film is also indeed tense and suspended now as never.
It is also a perfect window on America in the 1950s, with all the innocence of the weekly square dances and the determination harshly brought back by soldiers who had just survived a world war and have now found themselves in another.
Godzilla (1954)
What started as a Japanese allegory for the horror of the Second World War has since become the oldest cinema franchise in the history of cinema. It was this Japanese function of 1954 that started everything.
Godzilla is called Gojira in his country of origin. But what you call it, this nuclear fire breathing is the ultimate science fiction icon.
Of course, he’s just a man in lizard costume trampling miniatures, but that wouldn’t bother you. Godzilla is superbly turned, and the story is the original model for all the giant creature attack films that you have ever seen. You should see him to take advantage of the city’s action and better understand what the world looked like when humanity has tried to face the post-nuclear horrors of the Second World War.
20,000 leagues under the sea (1954)
In 1954, Walt Disney became the classic novel by Jules Verne in 1869, 20,000 leagues under the seaIn a big budget budget film. The film was a success, and no one else has made a significant attempt to adapt the book since.
He played Kirk Douglas as harpooning Ned Land and one of the main classic men in Hollywood, James Mason, as Captain Nemo. Mix parts of The mysterious islandThe novel in a follow-up, with the original novel of 20,000 leagues under the sea, the film faithfully adapts revolutionary history.
Nemo’s rough and nihilist edges are softened, but Mason does a fantastic job with the complex character of Jules Verne, who is both a hero and a villain, according to whom you ask.
The day the earth remained motionless (1951)
Released during the first years of the Cold War, The day the earth remained motionless Explore what is happening when a foreigner named Klaatu arrives in peace, only to discover a fractured world grouping of divisions.
There is little action, and the special effects areR rudimentary, but Michael Rennie’s performance as Klaatu haunts and establishes a model for Hollywood extraterrestrials used today. This classical story has been told many times in one way or another since then, but the original 1951 film remains the best and recalls that humanity has not advanced as much as we would like to think.
This land of the island (1955)
This island earth was created to raise the kind of science fiction beyond the domain of film B. It did not really achieve this goal; The production of the film is a mixed bag, and the story is uneven. Finally, it would continue to be considered a classic cult.
This island earth is the story of a scientist who is starting to receive mysterious deliveries of fantastic devices, accompanied by instructions on how to assemble them. When he finished putting all this together, he discovers that he created a communication device and also completed a test. It is a test to see if it is worthy of helping a breed of foreigners attacked with a malicious force.
The most important and most sustainable heritage of This island earth is the influence he had on the kind of science fiction since then. The film is now considered a classic cult, and its DNA can be clearly found in modern science fiction hits like Jodie Foster Contact And even The last Starfighter.
By the way, although this is not the intention of the film, The last Starfighter could easily be considered a series of This island earth. Not only is the premise similar, but also the extraterrestrials with big white heads behind the events of the film.
Them! (1954)
After the Second World War, paranoia of the atomic era was everywhere, not only in Japan but also in the United States. No one knew what to expect afterwards, which led to films like Godzilla and, in the United States, Them!
Them! is a very different story from GodzillaAlthough it is also giant creatures created by atomic bombs. It works on a smaller scale, starting in a distant desert with two cops studying a series of murders.
Them! Gradually widens in the scope, but slowly and methodically. This is the story of giant ants, yes, but it is also the story of competent and courageous people who do all the good things to protect the world of the impossible.
Godzilla is a disaster film, but Them! is a detective story, and it is worth seeing for the performance and well thought out writing that it is worth seeing for giant ants.
Forbidden Planet (1956)
More than half a century after his release, Prohibited planet is always a monumental pillar in the field of science fiction cinema. With an unprecedented budget and innovative narration techniques, she was really ahead of her time.
Directed by Fred M. Wilcox, he features Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis and Leslie Nielsen – Yes, that Leslie Nielsen. Prohibited planet Important funds have been widely used for the design of creative sets, revolutionary special effects and innovative score.
The film is notably rooted in the fantasy of Shakespeare, The Tempest, with elements of the intrigue and the dynamics of the characters reflecting the timeless game of the bard. In Prohibited planetThe crew of the Starship C-57D goes to the distance Altair IV to discover the fate of a lost expedition, ignoring the disturbing warnings along the way.
As only survivors, Dr. Edward Morbius, his daughter Altaira and their servant Robot Robby, present a mystery that becomes more complex with the discovery of an invisible planetary force.
Plan 9 of the space (1959)
In the legendary lyrics of Jerry Seinfeld, “Just a film?! You don’t understand. They are not plans 1 to 8 of space, it’s plan 9, it is the one that worked. The worst Film never made!
Plan 9 of space deserves its reputation as one of the worst films ever made. It’s so bad, Johnny Depp made a film winning Oscars on how its director, Ed Wood, was at work.
So why look at it? This is not a good list of films; It’s a list of movies to watch, and everything that is only bad is really worth watching.
Entitled at the origin of the serious space thieves, the intrigue of this bad film implies an extraterrestrial race, and their attempt to resuscitate hordes of humans recently died to walk in all the capitals of the world.
Despite its poor quality and poorly ridiculously special effects, most fans of bad movies cite Plan As one of the best bad movies of all time. See the flying saucers by yourself and let this film happen to you.
Le Blob (1958)
There have been remakes and consequences since, but it is difficult to go beyond the original. Released in 1958, the first version of The blobDirected by Irvin S. Yeaworth Jr., is famous for his simple but effective premise and his contribution to the kind of characteristics of the creature.
The Blob (1958) begins when a meteorite crashes near a small town, and an elderly man discovers a gelatinous substance attached to it. The Blob -shaped creature quickly swallows the old man, absorbent and pushing in size.
A teenager named Steve Andrews, played by a very young Steve McQueen, witnesses the attack but faces the skepticism of the authorities when he tries to warn them. While the Blob continues to grow and consume everything on its way, it becomes a threat to everyone.
